QR Codes in ZPL

QR codes are rendered natively with the ^BQ command. No external library needed – the printer computes the matrix.

Basic QR code

^XA
^FO100,100^BQN,2,8^FDMA,https://zplcloud.com^FS
^XZ

^BQ parameters: ^BQa,b,c,d,e

Parameter	Meaning	Typical
a	Orientation: N (normal) only	N
b	Model: 1 = original, 2 = enhanced (recommended)	2
c	Magnification (1–10, module size in dots)	2–4
d	Error correction: H (≈30 %), Q (≈25 %), M (≈15 %), L (≈7 %)	M
e	Mask value (0–7)	7

Data modes

The ^FD payload starts with a prefix of error correction level and input mode, followed by a comma:

Prefix	Meaning	Use for
MA,	error correction M, automatic input	URLs, mixed content
HA,	error correction H, automatic input	small or heavily worn labels
MM, + mode	manual input: N = numeric, A = alphanumeric, B = byte, K = Kanji	explicit encoding

^FDMA,https://zplcloud.com^FS ; automatic
^FDQM,N4006381333931^FS       ; error correction Q, manual numeric

Size guidance

The physical size depends on magnification and content length:

Magnification	Module size @203 dpi	~24 chars (URL)
2	0.25 mm	≈ 12 mm
3	0.38 mm	≈ 18 mm
4	0.50 mm	≈ 24 mm

Rule of thumb: keep at least 4 modules of quiet zone on all sides; the printer must be able to print a clean solid square (clean printhead, sufficient darkness).

Tips

• QR needs good contrast: black modules on white media, ^MD darkness high enough.
• Always test with a phone – a QR that "looks fine" may still not scan if the error-correction level is too low for the print quality.
• For very small labels choose the highest error correction (H) to survive dust and defects.